Government reforms of the NHS will see massive upheaval to general practice with family doctors put in charge of the majority of the budget.

But concerns have arisen that the reforms also encourage too much competition within the NHS, involvement of private companies and will fundamentally change to ethos of the NHS.

It was warned that because of the need to save £20bn over the next three years and that family doctors will be seen to be in charge of healthcare 'there is also a risk that public frustration about the need to ‘ration’ health services could unfairly be targeted at GPs'.

The Royal College of GPs is launching its final survey of members as the Health and Social Care Bill continues through Parliament.

Chairman Dr Claire Gerada wrote in a letter to members: "Since September 2010, the College has articulated a consistent position in relation to the Health and Social Care Bill.

"Although the College has been active in raising GPs’ concerns fundamental concerns remain and the NHS faces an uncertain, potentially very unstable future.

"We have not to date opposed the Bill outright but have made it very clear that it removes the systems and structures that underpin the NHS in England.

"Should the College decide to call for the Bill to be withdrawn, there is no guarantee that this will be successful.

"Nonetheless, it is my view, and that of many others, that stopping the Bill now, placing GPs in the majority on the boards of the Primary Care Trusts Clusters and focusing on addressing the serious financial crises facing the NHS, is the safest way forward for patients and communities."

She said that the NHS will be fundamentally changes by the removal of the Secretary of State’s legal responsibility for providing a comprehensive health service; dismantling the system of commissioning responsibility for area based geographically defined populations, replacing it with commissioning based on populations registered with general practices; the overriding emphasis on competition and any qualified provider, rather than integration and shared working; and introducing new arrangements for postgraduate medical education and training.

Should the RCGP vote in favour of opposing the Bill, it will join the British Medical Association and others in outright opposition to the government's plans.